Did Subaru Overprice The Next-Gen Forester?

Forester takes a surprise downturn.

Until three months ago, the Subaru Forester compact SUV was on an unstoppable trajectory, leading all Subaru of America nameplates in sales performance. However, the Forester has taken an unexpected downturn. What could have caused this sudden shift? 

Subaru of America says, "Demand for Forester continued to grow, with 13,111 vehicles sold while production continues to ramp up to full capacity."

There is more to the story for the next-generation Forester. First, I'll explore Forester's sales performance for September and then delve into why it's in a sales slump. 

Forester sales have dropped.

SOA reports that they delivered 13,111 compact SUVs in September compared with 15,237 models in September 2023—a sales decrease of 13.9 percent. 

This decline in sales is significant as it marks a departure from the Forester's previously robust performance. 

Even with the sales drop, the Forester has increased 22.3 percent through the year's first nine months. Forester has 130,098 sales compared with 106,345 through the first nine months in 2023. 

Sounds pretty good so far. 

It's important to note that the popular Forester compact SUV is now on a three-month sales slide. 

The Forester's sales have dropped for three consecutive months, coinciding with the arrival of the all-new 2025 Forester in the summer. The 2025 models arrived in July; since then, the Forester, the best-selling model, has declined. Here are the results for the past three months. 

• July Forester is down -26.4%
• August Forester dropped -12%
• September Forester sales performance drops again-13.9%

We're seeing a clear trend in the Forester's sales performance. 

I'll ask the question. Did Subaru overprice the next-generation 2025 Forester? 

In April, Subaru of America announced the sixth-generation 2025 Forester pricing and how much the compact SUV went up. It went up a minimum of $2,000, and some trim levels saw close to a $3,000 price increase. Will its significant price hike affect the Forester's market competitiveness? 

The new Forester received extensive improvements, and Subaru Corporation had to pay for all those expensive next-generation Forester upgrades. 

How much did the 2025 Subaru Forester increase in price?

• The Base Forester increased by +$2,900
• Premium +$2,000
• Sport +$2,930
• Limited +$2,320
• Touring + $2,900

2025 Forester pricing.

The 2025 Forester comes in five trim levels: The Base trim starts at $31,090, Premium ($33,390), Sport ($35,890), Limited ($37,390), and Touring ($38,490). Pricing includes destination and dealer fees ($1,395).

One of the fifth-generation 2024 Forester's best attributes was its price. The Base 2024 Forester started at $28,190, including destination and delivery fees. The under $30,000 price was appealing. 

Now, the Base trim is over $31,000, and it's not a Forester trim level I would recommend. It lacks many of the best Forester features. Check out my report here for why the Base trim is one you should avoid. 

Don't get me wrong, the 2025 Forester is an excellent compact SUV and comes with many significant improvements. There are too many to list in this report. Here are two of my reports that point out its most important upgrades. 

• The Remodeled 2025 Subaru Forester - 10 All-New Hidden Interior Upgrades
• Subaru Just Improved Forester's Worst Feature

It's also important to note that the new Forester is now more expensive than the 2025 Subaru Outback. 

What Is The 2025 Outback Pricing?

The Base is priced at $30,290, Premium ($32,590), Onyx Edition ($37,500), Limited ($39,250), Touring ($41,740), Onyx Edition XT ($40,755), Wilderness ($41,355), Limited XT ($41,590), and Touring XT ($44,190). In addition, destination and delivery fees are included in the price above ($1,395).

Some customers may look at the Forester and choose the Outback midsize SUV instead. 

There is another development with the Forester Wilderness. It's a carryover model with no changes. The next-gen Forester Wilderness trim won't arrive until sometime next year. Subaru of America has not announced the model changes, pricing, or launch date. Stay tuned. 

Another speculation is that Forester customers are waiting for the all-new Forester Hybrid to launch next year. The Forester hybrid will have all-new fuel-saving technology, making it a compelling choice. 

When will the new Forester Hybrid be available for customers?

The next-generation Forester Hybrid will arrive late next summer, 2025.

Conclusion:

The popular Forester's drop in sales performance could be a combination of price, availability, and customers waiting for the Wilderness and Hybrid trims to launch next year. 

I think the Forester is an appealing option for customers. The compact SUV may have taken a hiatus before more new trim levels arrived and production at the Japanese factory ramped up. Stay tuned to the race to see if the Forester finishes number one again this year. 

It's Your Turn

Are you checking out the new Forester or waiting for new trim levels? What are your thoughts? Click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Writer since 2012. I’ve invested over 13 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Subaru North Orlando